As Florida authorities work to identify the people who died in Thursday's catastrophic bridge collapse, state and federal investigators will begin the task of figuring out how and why the five-day-old span failed.More >>

As Florida authorities work to identify the people who died in Thursday's catastrophic bridge collapse, state and federal investigators will begin the task of figuring out how and why the five-day-old span failed.More >>

(AP Photo/Brandon Wade). Florida guard Egor Koulechov (4) and St. Bonaventure guard Idris Taqqee (1) battle for the ball during the first half of a first-round game at the NCAA college basketball tournament in Dallas, Thursday, March 15, 2018.

Egor Koulechov scored 20 points and Florida eased past St. Bonaventure 77-62, ending the Bonnies' postseason run two days after their first NCAA Tournament victory in 48 years.

(WFLX) - If you've been pricing tickets or hotel stays for the holidays you may have noticed prices are way up, in some cases nearly 20 percent for airfare.

Travel scammers know this and are bombarding people with enticing "cheap" offers for the holiday.

Among some of the most popular scams targets those who are looking for dream holiday escapes in Europe.

Apartment rentals in Europe can be a much cheaper alternative if staying there for a week or more, but scammers are demanding up front money which is a big red flag.

Another scam, e-mails going around offering compensation if your trip doesn't turn out to be a dream holiday.

All the crooks want is a few personal details from you which turns out to be identity theft.

Here are some tips to avoid travel scams:

Look at the terms and conditions, the fine print. That's where they will get you on major things like is your trip refundable.

Be skeptical of free offers, nothing is free.

Do some research on the Web. The Better Business Bureau always hears from travelers who are scammed. Perhaps you will find a questionable business there.

Most importantly, never want to do is wire money directly to pay for a trip.

"That's a red flag. Never deal with anyone who doesn't take a credit card. You want to deal with a card because you can have that charge stopped," said Michael Galvin, spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau in West Palm Beach.

Another red flag warning is if you are being pressured to pay right away.